Daily news summaries

Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.

Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.

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Friday 21st May 2010  
  Following hot on the heels of a White-throated Sparrow on Fair Isle, Shetland's second White-throated Sparrow of the week was found at Spiggie today. Unfortunately the sparrow failed to avoid the attention of a local cat.

Elsewhere a female King Eider was located off Westray (Orkney) and a Black Kite flew over Connah's Quay (Flintshire). Lingering rarities included Great Reed Warbler (Derbyshire), Iberian Chiffchaffs (South Yorkshire and Kent) and Rustic Bunting (Fair Isle).

The best of the rest included Red-backed Shrikes on Isles of Scilly (2) and Cornwall, Red-spotted Bluethroat in Pembrokeshire, Serin in Dorset, Purple Heron in Cambridgeshire and Ring-necked Duck in Fife. Six Temminck's Stints and four migrant Honey Buzzards were also reported.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 20th May 2010  
  The eighth Brown Shrike for Britain was discovered this evening at Sennen Cove, Cornwall, where it remained elusive until dusk. This is the fourth record since 2008.

Other new discoveries today included a Rustic Bunting on Fair Isle, Shetland, where the White-throated Sparrow remained present, a Tawny Pipit at Kessingland, Suffolk and a Black Kite over St Austell, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire and Iberian Chiffchaffs in Gwent, Yorkshire and Kent. Scarcity highlight was a Red-breasted Flycatcher on Shetland, with a scattering of Golden Orioles, Temminck's Stints, Honey Buzzards and Purple Herons being the best of the rest.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 19th May 2010  
  The third White-throated Sparrow in Britain this year was found on Fair Isle, Shetland, and late news concerned the second Dark-eyed Junco this year, present in a garden in Folkestone, Kent from Saturday to Monday. A Black Kite was at the Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, Aberdeenshire mid afternoon.

Long staying rarities included Oriental Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire and Iberian Chiffchaffs in Kent, Yorkshire and Gwent.

Scarcities were headlined by White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk, Purple Herons in Yorkshire and Kent, Ring-necked Duck in Fife, Serin in Kent, Dotterels in Suffolk and Sussex, White Stork in Yorkshire, Golden Oriole in the Isles of Scilly and Pomarine Skua in Lancashire.
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 18th May 2010  
  New discoveries today included a Red-rumped Swallow (Shetland), Alpine Swift (Glamorgan) and Black Stork (Western Isles). The Spotted Sandpiper in Lancashire, Oriental Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire, Iberian Chiffchaffs in Gwent, Kent and South Yorkshire and King Eider in Aberdeenshire all remained on show.

Elsewhere a Buff-breasted Sandpiper lingered in Leicestershire for its second day, a Short-toed Lark arrived in Hampshire and a Common Rosefinch was logged in Lincolnshire. Other new birds included a Woodchat Shrike in Essex (another remained in East Yorkshire), Bluethroat on Shetland, Great Grey Shrike in West Yorkshire, Red-backed Shrike in Devon and Melodious Warbler in Conwy, whilst Purple Herons (Kent and East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Hampshire) and White-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk) all lingered.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 17th May 2010  
  New rarities included a Spotted Sandpiper at Stocks Reservoir (Lancashire), Bee-eater at Radipole (Dorset) and a White-billed Diver off North Uist (Western Isles). A Black Kite was logged between Warham and Wighton (Norfolk) whilst probable sightings of perhaps the same Black Kite were reported between Docking and Choseley and just south of Wells.

In Lincolnshire the Oriental Pratincole remained on show at Frampton Marsh RSPB, whilst the Great Reed Warbler (Derbyshire), King Eiders (Aberdeenshire and Shetland) and Iberian Chiffchaffs (South Yorkshire and Gwent) all lingered.

The best of the rest came in the form of five Temminck's Stints, two each of Hoopoe, Purple Heron, Woodchat Shrike, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Great White Egret and single Wryneck, White-spotted Bluethroat, Grey-headed Wagtail and Ring-necked Duck.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 16th May 2010  
  A fine selection of lingering rarities were headlined by the Oriental Pratincole in Lincolnshire and Black-eared Wheatear in Co Wexford. Elsewhere the Great Reed Warbler continued to sing in Derbyshire, Iberian Chiffchaffs lingered in Kent, South Yorkshire and Gwent and in Scotland the Broad-billed Sandpiper (Highland) and King Eider (Lothian) were both still present. In addition to the aforementioned Black-eared Wheatear the Forster's Tern and Glossy Ibis remained in Co Wexford, in Somerset the long-staying Ferruginous Duck remained at Chew Valley Lake and in Norfolk a Black Kite flew over Welney WWT (where the White-spotted Bluethroat continued to perform).

East Yorkshire produced three Purple Herons (two at Welwick and one a Tophill Low NR), whilst others were recorded in Suffolk and Kent. Hoopoes were noted in Orkney, Hampshire and Hertfordshire, a Serin flew over Bockhill Farm (Kent) and Woodchat Shrikes remained in Cornwall and on Isles of Scilly. The best of the rest included four Temminck's Stints, 23 Dotterels and at least three Great White Egrets.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 15th May 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a female Black-eared Wheatear on Great Saltee Island (Co Wexford) - the fifth Irish record.

Back across the Irish Sea, the Oriental Pratincole continued to perform in Lincolnshire, whilst other lingering rarities included Iberian Chiffchaffs in South Yorkshire, Gwent and Kent, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Highland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, American Golden Plover in Co Mayo, Forster's Tern in Co Wexford and Pacific Diver in Co Clare.

Elsewhere ten Temminck's Stints, four Woodchat Shrikes, two Purple Herons, two Great White Egrets, two Serins and a White-spotted Bluethroat were all logged.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 14th May 2010  
  Rarities today comprised the Oriental Pratincole still in Lincolnshire, an American Golden Plover new in County Mayo, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Red-rumped Swallow in South Yorkshire, Broad-billed Sandpipers in both Highland and Lothian, King Eiders in both Aberdeenshire and the Shetland Isles and territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in Gwent, Kent and South Yorkshire. A Black Kite was seen briefly in Norfolk and the Spotted Sandpiper was heard again in Lothian.

Scarcities included 48 migrant Dotterel in four trips, 10 Temminck's Stints, three Woodchat Shrikes, two each of American Wigeon and Glaucous Gull, White-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk), Purple Heron (Kent) and Surf Scoter (Lothian).
Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 13th May 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a wader-double for Lothian with the discovery of a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Tyninghame Bay soon being followed by a Spotted Sandpiper at North Berwick. Elsewhere in Scotland, a White-billed Diver was found at Deerness, Orkney Isles.

Lingering rarities comprised the Oriental Pratincole still in Lincolnshire, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, Great Reed Warbler in Derbyshire, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Highland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Red-rumped Swallow in South Yorkshire and territorial Iberian Chiffchaffs in each of Gwent, Kent and South Yorkshire.

Scarcities included 25 Dotterel in four trips, 10 migrant Temminck's Stints, three Woodchat Shrikes, two Iceland Gulls and single White-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk), Serin (Dorset), Red-necked Phalarope (Kent), Surf Scoter (Lothian), American Wigeon (Western Isles), Ring-necked Duck (County Mayo) and Great White Egret (Cambridgeshire).
Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 12th May 2010  
  Derbyshire's first Great Reed Warbler was discovered this evening, a singing male near Ilkeston. A Broad-billed Sandpiper showed very well in Broadford Bay, Isle of Skye, Highland this evening, whilst other new discoveries included Pallid Swift briefly in Merseyside, a flyover Black Kite in South Yorkshire and a flyover Red-rumped Swallow in Hampshire.

Lingering rarities included House Finch and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Oriental Pratincole in Lincolnshire, Iberian Chiffchaffs in Kent, South Yorkshire and Gwent, Savi's Warbler in Lancashire, Forster's Tern in County Wexford, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles and Red-rumped Swallows in East Sussex (two) and South Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights were a Red-necked Phalarope and Purple Heron in Kent, Woodchat Shrikes in Norfolk and Cornwall, Rose-coloured Starling in Pembrokeshire and White-spotted Bluethroat in Norfolk.
Will Soar, RBA